Jellymanders (BX and 5e monster)

Another monster suggested to me by @mountain_foot! This one was a bit of a struggle to write. My major mistake was to put together a list of oozes spanning several editions and try to cove them accurately. There's a lot of oozes with samey abilities out there! I think it's better pared back to six entries, though I might write some fanciful entries that are more exciting than brown, dun and white puddings.

Jellymanders

These slimy amphibians live in cloud forests. Like many amphibians, they were vulnerable to fungal infections, until a freak mutation gave them the ability to absorb plant and fungus cells and embed them in layers of mucus.

Like other newts and salamanders, they can regrow lost limbs and other extremities. For this reason, as well as their talent for kleptoplasty, they are prized research subjects for vivimancers. They also make excellent animal companions for adventurer-types who must often face oozes in dank dungeons.

The following stats are OGL-compatible. As usual, I'm happy for anyone to use them in a product with attribution. Let me know if you need the appropriate legalese.

B/X Stats

Jellymander

Armour Class 7 [12]
Hit Dice 2+2* (11hp)
Attack 1 × bite (1d4+1)
To-Hit 17 [+2]
Move 90’ (30’)
Save Unified 14, D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1)
Morale 6
AL Neutral
XP 35
NA 1d4 (1d4)
TT None

• Breath weapon: Once per day, a jellymander can cough up a spray of phlegm with the properties of any fungus it has absorbed via its kleptoplasty ability. See the Special Fungal Ability table below.
• Kleptoplasty: Jellymanders are immune to the corrosive and/or poisonous attacks of oozes, slimes, and similar creatures. Whenever they bite such creatures, they can assimilate tissue and gain special abilities. The XP entry above assumes the jellymander has one such ability; award extra XP for defeated jellymanders with additional powers (see "Experience Points", BX Essentials: Core Rules, p14)
• Nauseating stench: A jellymander has a 2-in-6 chance of having fungal strains that produce a strong odour: creatures must save vs poison or suffer -2 to hit while in melee with jellymanders. Humans can notice the odour from 120 ft away; only stenchless jellymanders are capable of surprise. Roll on the Stench Table below to determine odour.
• Swallow whole: An attack roll of 20 indicates a small victim is swallowed. Inside the jellymander's belly: suffer 1d6 damage per round (until the jellymander dies); may attack with sharp weapons at -4 to hit; body digested in 6 turns after death.
• Water-dependent: Jellymanders sicken after 1d3 days in dry air, and die 1d3 days after that.

Variant: Giant Jellymander

Armour Class 7 [12]
Hit Dice 6+6* (33hp)
Attack 1 × bite (1d8+1)
To-Hit 13 [+6]
Move 90’ (30’)
Save Unified 11, D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (F4)
Morale 6
Alignment Neutral
XP 750
Number Appearing 1d4 (1d4)
Treasure Type None

Special abilities as above, except the giant jellymander can swallow creatures up to the size of a bugbear.

5e Stats

Jellymander

Medium beast, unaligned

Armour Class 11
Hit Points 22 (4d8+4)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	13 (+1)	13 (+0)	2 (−4)	10 (+0)	3 (−4)

Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Kleptoplasty. Jellymanders are immune to the corrosive and/or poisonous attacks of oozes, slimes, and similar creatures. Whenever they bite such creatures, they can assimilate tissue and gain special abilities.

Nauseating Stench. A jellymander has a 2-in-6 chance of having fungal strains that produce a strong odour. Any creature other than another jellymander who starts their turn within 10 ft of the jellymander must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw. Failure means the creature is poisonedA poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. until the start of their next turn. Success renders the creature immune to the stench of jellymanders for 1 hour. Humans can notice the odour from 120 ft away. Roll on the Stench Table below to determine odour.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) piercing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 11). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained • A restrained creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
• The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. , and the jellymander can't bite another target.

Swallow. The jellymander makes one bite attack against a Small or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded • A blinded creature can't see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage. and restrained • A restrained creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
• The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. , it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the jellymander, and it takes 5 (2d4) acid damage at the start of each of the jellymander's turns. The jellymander can have only one target swallowed at a time. If the jellymander dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone • A prone creature's only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
• The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.
• An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage. .

Breath Weapon (Recharge 5–6). The jellymander can breathe a 15 ft. cone of phlegm. The effect of the breath weapon is determined by the Fungal Ability table, below.

Giant Jellymander

Large beast, unaligned

Armor Class 11
Hit Points 39 (6d10 + 6)
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
15 (+2)	13 (+1)	13 (+1)	2 (−4)	10 (+0)	3 (−4)

Senses darkvision 30 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages —
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Kleptoplasty. Jellymanders are immune to the corrosive and/or poisonous attacks of oozes, slimes, and similar creatures. Whenever they bite such creatures, they can assimilate tissue and gain special abilities.

Nauseating Stench. A jellymander has a 2-in-6 chance of having fungal strains that produce a strong odour. Any creature other than another jellymander who starts their turn within 10 ft of the jellymander must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. Failure means the creature is poisonedA poisoned creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. until the start of their next turn. Success renders the creature immune to the stench of jellymanders for 1 hour. Humans can notice the odour from 120 ft away. Roll on the Stench Table below to determine odour.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 5 (1d10) poison damage, and the target is grappled • A grappled creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• The condition ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the condition).
• The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the thunderwave spell. (escape DC 13). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained • A restrained creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
• The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. , and the jellymander can't bite another target.

Swallow. The jellymander makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded • A blinded creature can't see and automatically fails any ability check that requires sight.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage. and restrained • A restrained creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
• Attack rolls against the creature have advantage, and the creature's attack rolls have disadvantage.
• The creature has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. , it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the jellymander, and it takes 10 (3d6) acid damage at the start of each of the jellymander's turns. The jellymander can have only one target swallowed at a time. If the jellymander dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone • A prone creature's only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
• The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.
• An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage. .

Breath Weapon (Recharge 5–6). The jellymander can breathe a 15 ft. cone of phlegm. The effect of the breath weapon is determined by the Fungal Ability table, below.

Stench Table

d20	Odour	d20	Odour
1	acetone	11	hot plastic
2	baby powder	12	lemon
3	barnyard smell	13	liquorice
4	bubblegum	14	peaches
5	burning tyre	15	smegma
6	cinnamon	16	soap
7	corpse	17	strawberries
8	dirty sock	18	sweat
9	fresh bread	19	tobacco
10	garlic	20	vinegar

Fungal Ability Table

d6	Organism	Skin Properties	Breath Weapon
⚀	Black Pudding	Can climb sheer walls and ceilings. deform flesh and bone to slowly pass through openings. Has resistance (half-damage) to any non-fire attack. Non-fire attacks also have a 1-in-6 chance of causing binary fission, creating two smaller jellymanders. Divide remaining hp evenly. Giant jellymanders become regular ones, regular ones become smaller, harmless ones.	Paralyses for 2d4 × 10 minutes. A save vs paralysis or DC 11 Constitution saving throw negates this.
⚁	Gelatinous Cube	Transparent skin and muscle, showing organs and bone within. Immune to cold and lightning damage.	Paralyses for 2d4 × 10 minutes. A save vs paralysis or DC 11 Constitution saving throw negates this.
⚂	Green Slime	Can climb sheer walls and ceilings. Immune to all damage except cold and fire.	Acidic slime that destroys wood or metal in 6 rounds. Once in contact with flesh, slime catalyses its conversion into more green slime over 1d4 + 6 rounds. Only fire can halt this process, dealing half damage to the slime and half damage to the patient. The slime must be dealt damage equal to half the jellymander's maximum hit points to be eradicated.
⚃	Grey Ooze	Visually indistinguishable from wet stone. When still, characters have a 1-in-6 chance or must succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to spot small movements/life signs. Odour may also betray presence. Objects will adhere to skin, requiring a cumulative Strength score of 20 to pull free (e.g. a Str 8 halfling and a Str 13 fighter could cooperate). Immune to cold and fire damage.	Acidic, sticky phlegm that deals 2d8 damage per round until removed. Destroys nonmagic metal (including armor) in 1 round. Enchanted metal is destroyed in 10 minutes. Phlegm can be scraped off (residue will inflict one more round of damage), neutralised with chalk, lye or some other base, or washed off with strong alcohol.
⚄	Ochre Jelly	Resistance to all damage except cold or fire. Objects will adhere to skin, requiring a cumulative Strength score of 20 to pull free (e.g. a Str 8 halfling and a Str 13 fighter could cooperate). Dissolves cloth, leather or wood in one round, magical in 10 minutes. Can deform flesh and bone to slowly pass through small openings. Lightning and weapon attacks have a 1-in-6 chance of causing binary fission, creating two smaller jellymanders. Divide remaining hp evenly. Giant jellymanders become regular ones, regular ones become smaller, harmless ones.	Acidic, sticky phlegm that deals 2d6 damage per round until removed. Destroys nonmagic leather, cloth or wood (including armor) in 1 round. Enchanted materials are destroyed in 10 minutes. Phlegm can be scraped off (residue will inflict one more round of damage), neutralised with chalk, lye or some other base, or washed off with strong alcohol.
⚅	Yellow Mould	When struck with enough force to cause injury, the jellymander releases a spore cloud to a radius of 10 ft, that is poisonous if inhaled. B/X effect: Save vs death or die in 10 minutes. 5e effect: A creature subjected to this poison must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take 3d6 poison damage, and must repeat the saving throw at the start of each of its turns. On each successive failed save, the character takes 1d6 poison damage. After three successful saves, the poison ends.	A mist that instantly corrodes wood, leather, cloth and bone. Living tissue is mysteriously immune.